In Times of Peace
by SleepingDoll
Summary: The war is won, and Zuko is crowned Fire Lord. But the road towards peace is still a long one for the Gaang. The story follows them as they face the consequences of the end of the Hundred Year War. Will they successfully lead the world into a durable era of peace?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, this is my very first fanfiction about the universe of ATLA. I of course own nothing related to this universe. Please note that English is not my first language (reviews correcting my grammar would be greatly appreciated). I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I liked writing it.**

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Katara woke up, her heart was racing. She had been dreaming, and the dream was interrupted. She knew that much, but could not remember what it had been about. She was just left with a strange feeling of embarrassment – or was it guilt? – as she tried to catch her breath. Where was she? She looked around, and noticed the wooden ceiling above her. The wood was of a deep reddish color. Mahogany. She was lying on a bed, the sheets that covered her were of red satin. The air was warm, she'd left the window to her left open during the night, hoping to catch a cool breeze. Yes, it was definitely a weather Katara had trouble getting used to. The Fire Nation was known for its long, hot summers and mild winters. Katara fared better surrounded by ice, in her element. She remembered now, she was in the Fire Nation palace. ' _Zuko's palace'_ , she thought. 'Prince Zuko' was now 'Fire Lord Zuko'. She would also need some time to get used to that.

She wondered what time it was. According to the position of the sun, it was still a few hours until noon. Her stomach emitted a growl. _Time for breakfast_. She got up, throwing her legs over the side of the bed. After having freshened up, she got dressed and left in search of the Dining Hall. This was only her second day in the Fire Nation Palace, two days after Zuko's coronation, and she did not know her way around, the palace being the largest building she had ever been in by a long shot. She hoped to find a familiar face, or maybe a member of staff who could guide her way. She hoped she would not stumble across Aang.

 _Aang_. It came back to her. She had dreamed of the Avatar that night. She'd remembered that moment she kissed him in Ba Sing Se, right after they'd won the war. She flinched. She had kissed Aang…but she was left confused as ever. She had kissed Aang because in the spur of the moment. They had just won a war, Ozai was finally defeated. She knew how the young Avatar felt about her. In that moment, when he'd looked at her with those wide grey eyes of his, kissing him had seemed natural. Like it was meant to be. And that's what everyone else thought, Aang included. They were meant to be. It was destiny. No one had questioned that fact, not even Sokka. So why was she having those dreams? She kept reliving the kiss, and each time she felt more uncomfortable. ' _You make your own destiny'_ , said a voice in her head. She was surprised to realize that the voice was Zuko's. Was that the problem? She felt like she was obligated to love Aang? He was the Avatar, he had saved the world. ' _You're not a prize, Katara'_ , the voice insisted. It wasn't that. Aang loved her! ' _But do you love him?'_ The voice inquired. Of course she did. But she also loved Sokka. And Suki. And Toph. And Zuko. ' _Damnit!'_ She thought. ' _I'm just confused because I don't know whether or not we're dating!'_ She tried to convince herself, but the uneasiness remained.

She turned around a corner. She had no idea where to go next. Her stomach protested once again. She hoped she was at least on the right floor. She was considering knocking on the nearest door to ask whoever was in that room for directions when the door opened. Zuko came out, his hair tousled, as if he'd just woken up.

'Katara?' Zuko said, sounding surprised, 'What are you doing here?'

Katara looked at the ground, shifting awkwardly on her feet. For some reason, the fact that her conscience now sounded like Zuko was extremely embarrassing.

'Oh, uh, I was just trying to find my way to the dining hall,' she said, trying her best to sound casual, 'but this palace of yours is huge!'

Zuko chuckled. He had always found the Fire Nation palace to be ridiculously big as a child. It was inconvenient, and at times scary, especially when Azula was hiding, waiting to make him jump wherever he went. Now he'd somewhat gotten used to it.

'Come with me, I'll show you the way.' He replied, offering his arm.

Katara put her hand in the crook of his elbow. They walked in silence for a moment, Katara was racking her brain, trying to think of something interesting to say.

'I didn't see anyone on my way here. I thought there'd be guards.' She said, looking up towards him.

He gave her a little smile and said: 'Usually, yes, but I gave them a few days off, at least those who normally stand outside my bedroom.'

'Why?' she asked.

'After my coronation, I just…I didn't want to have to deal with that…I've seen more people in one day than I probably have in the past three years!' He chuckled softly. 'Last time I was here I wasn't…I wasn't very nice to the staff…I had a reputation, you see. I think they need time away, they need to be close to their families. Working for the likes of Ozai was never easy.' He shook his head. 'Besides, I've lived on my own for so long now…having people dress you, people standing outside your bedroom all the time can be a little…overwhelming.'

She nodded in understanding, before adding with a smirk: 'I mean, I wouldn't know, I am but a humble peasant.'

Zuko gave her a sad smile. 'You're not a peasant, Katara. I'm sorry for the way I spoke in the past. I'm sorry for what Azula may think. You are much nobler than she is, if you ask me.'

Katara tried to calm herself down to avoid the slight blush she felt creeping on her cheeks. 'It's fine, Zuko. I know you've changed, you don't have to apologize anymore. And Azula's crazy. But thank you, it actually means a lot.'

'Anytime.' He said. 'We're here.' He added, before opening the doors in front of them.

Everyone was already around the table, helping themselves to breakfast. Suki and Sokka were sitting on one side of the table, they had pushed their chairs so that they could sit closer to each other. Sokka's plate was covered in food, and Suki was shaking her head, watching him gulp down huge amounts of it at once. On the side of the table opposite Sokka was Toph, who had also filled her plate. Next to her, on her right, was Aang, with Momo on his shoulders. Aang was feeding the lemur some leechi nuts. They all interrupted their activities to greet the newcomers.

'Good morning!' Suki said, smiling kindly, while Sokka uttered something that they could not understand, due to the amount of food in his mouth.

'Your Highness, Sugar Queen.' Toph smirked.

Aang said nothing, he simply nodded, and flashed a bright smile at Katara who tried and failed to return it. The seat at the end of the table had been left vacant for Zuko to sit in, but so was the one immediately to his right.

'Left a spot for your girlfriend,' Toph said, 'but she didn't show.'

'Mai had to leave last night after dinner, to deal with family business.' Zuko simply said.

'Nothing bad, huh?' Katara asked, concerned.

'No, no, it's just that since the end of the war, her father's position has been…compromised. But I'll make sure her family is fine.'

'I'm sure you will.' Katara replied with a smile. She could see that Zuko was not being completely honest, but she decided it would be best to let it slide, for now at least.

The fact that Toph had left an empty seat gave Katara an advantage at least. She wouldn't have to sit next to Aang. She sighed. She couldn't keep avoiding the Avatar for very long. Still, she wasn't ready to deal with it this morning. She took the seat that had been meant for Mai, on Zuko's right hand, and began to eat. As she was eating, she noticed Zuko was looking at her strangely, like he wanted to tell her something, but couldn't bring himself to do it. He turned away when he saw Katara had noticed.

"What is it?" Katara asked gently.

'Nothing.' Zuko whispered back. 'What do you think of this palace? Other than the fact that it's too big, I mean.' He finished with a smile.

'Oh.' Katara said. She knew it wasn't what he wanted to say in the first place, and couldn't help but wonder what was bothering him. Perhaps it was about Mai? 'I don't know…there's a strange atmosphere about this place…like…,' she stopped, not sure how to continue, 'I mean…you can definitely tell that…things…happened here, but…it's like the place was haunted or something, and the cursed was recently lifted? It may sound stupid, but I think the place knows that the ownership has changed. Like the rest of the world, I guess, it's just entering a new era. Thanks to you.'

Zuko smiled even more. 'Wow,' he said, 'I didn't know you had such strong feelings about this place. I agree with you, but it's not just thanks to me. You guys are the ones who saved the world. Especially Aang, I mean he defeated Ozai!'

Katara couldn't help but tense when Zuko said Aang's name. He noticed.

'What's wrong?' he asked.

'Nothing.' Katara answered. Now she was the one keeping secrets.

'It's not nothing if it's bothering you…' Zuko insisted.

'No, it's fine, it's just…I'll tell you about it later, okay?' Katara murmured.

'Sure. I'm glad to help in any way I can. You know that.'

'Yeah, I know. Thanks, Zuko.' Katara gave him the biggest smile she could manage.

After breakfast, Zuko excused himself, as he had a meeting to attend. Katara excused herself to her room as well, claiming a headache, in a desperate attempt to avoid Aang for a little bit longer. The boy had been watching her keenly during the whole meal, and she was sure he hoped to talk to her. Suki frowned, looking at Katara's back as she exited the room. ' _What was that about_?' The young Kyoshi warrior wondered.

Without Zuko to guide her, it took Katara at least five minutes to get to her room. When she did, she flopped on the bed, scrutinizing the mahogany ceiling for the second time that day. She inhaled deeply. _'Okay. I can't do this forever…I need to talk to Aang'_. The problem was that she had no idea what she would say once confronted to the Avatar. She loved him, that was certain. But she was not sure she loved him the way he wanted her to. The way _he_ loved her. But now that she had returned one of his kisses, she had given him hope. That had definitely been a huge mistake on her part. She thought back on the three times Aang had kissed her: before the invasion on the day of Black Sun, on Ember Island during the play about them, and finally in Ba Sing Se, just outside Iroh's teashop. The first time Aang had kissed her, she hadn't pushed him away, but she hadn't kissed him back either. Besides, at that point, there was a strong possibility that at least one of them would die before sundown. The kiss had been quick, to say goodbye, and good luck. The second one…she did not like to remember. Aang had taken her by surprise that time. She was already trying to figure out exactly what she felt towards the Avatar, and he had taken advantage of her vulnerable state. The kiss had been selfish, for Aang alone. The third time...well, that time she did kiss him back. She had hoped that by kissing him, now that the war was over, she would finally feel like she was supposed to. But it had backfired. Before they won the war, she thought her problem was that she was afraid to start a relationship when she had no perspective of the future. What if she'd died? What if Aang hadn't beaten Ozai? It would have been even more painful. But now…the world was entering an era of peace, and yet she was still confused about her feelings. The worst part was that Aang, on the other hand, was not. He had made it very cler that he saw Katara as his girlfriend, even though they'd never talked about it.

Katara grabbed one of her silk pillows, put it over her face, and screamed in frustration. She had to figure it out. Before long, Aang would take her and Sokka back to the South Pole. The journey would be terribly awkward in any case, but she would certainly feel better if she told him what was on her mind. As she was thinking of a way to speak to Aang, there was a knock on the door. Her stomach twisted. Was it Aang? She sat up.

'Yes?' Katara called

'It's me, Suki! Can I come in?'

'Yes, of course,' Katara said with a sigh of relief.

Suki came into the room, but she was not alone. Standing next to her was Toph.

'Did you want something?' Katara suggested.

'Not really. Actually, I just wanted to speak with you.' The older girl replied.

'Oh. Sure, I'm listening. Does it have anything to do with my brother?'

'No, not at all. It's about you…and Aang.' Suki said calmly.

'Oh.' Katara replied, her shoulders slumping a little.

'Well I think you've already told us what we need to know, Sugar Queen,' Toph said ironically, 'just saying his name puts you in such a state!'

'Did something…happen between you two?' Suki continued, her voice still soft.

'I…When we were in Ba Sing Se…we kissed. It was the first time that I kissed him. He'd kissed me twice before, but it'd always been one-sided.' Katara admitted.

'Well shouldn't you be happy, then?' Toph said, perplexed.

'That's an excellent question, Toph.' Katara replied sourly.

'What do you mean? Are you…not happy?' Suki asked, concern causing her forehead to wrinkle.

'I…don't know. I have lots of reasons to be. And I am, really. It's just that…I don't know, I expected everything to be simple. I thought that once we'd won the war, Aang and I would be together, and we'd be happy, and that'd be it. But now that the war is done, I…I don't know if I want that to happen anymore!' Katara exclaimed.

'Well…,' Suki tried, 'Do you love him?'

'Of course I do. I'm just not sure whether or not I love him…like _that_.' Katara felt exhausted.

'Well. If you don't want to be with him, no one can force you, Katara! You have to do what _you_ want to do!' Suki said, her voice a little higher than usual.

Toph nodded in agreement before adding: 'Do you want to be with him? And don't tell me 'I don't know', because I think you do.'

'I…I…No, I don't.' Katara conceded. _'If I wanted to be, it would be clear to me, wouldn't it?'_ , she thought.

'Well…then you have to tell him. As soon as possible. If he truly loves you, he won't push. He'll understand.' Suki concluded firmly.

'I know…I hope so.' Katara whispered.

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 **And that's it for chapter one! Hope you liked it. Reviews are more than welcome xx.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, so this is Chapter 2! I will try to upload a new chapter every Sunday (I find that one a week is a good rythm for me). Next Monday (the 12th), I'll be going back to university, so writing will be a bit more challenging, but I'll do my best to stick to schedule ! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't hesitate to leave a review :)  
I'd also like to say a big thank you to the person who left the first review...it gave me the motivation to write chapter 3! :)**

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Suki and Toph had left the room after reassuring Katara that they would be there for her, should she be in need of support after speaking to Aang. Katara had smiled, glad to have such great friends. _'I hope Aang and I can remain friends after this'_ , she thought sadly. Right now, what she needed was some fresh air. In front of her bedroom door was a huge window through which she could see the palace's gardens. She smiled when she saw the pond that was right beneath her. Yes, being close to water would help her gather her thoughts. This time, she managed to find the way to the stairs rather easily, thanks to the help of a young housemaid whose eyes had grown wide when she had recognized Katara. The girl's reaction was strange to Katara. She had treated her politely, as she would anyone. Besides, the girl looked her age, so Katara didn't think twice about treating her as an equal, but it was obviously what the girl had been used to.

Katara sighed happily when she reached the side of the pond in which a few turtle-ducklings were swimming in line after their mother. She sat on a bench near the edge of the pond, under a willow tree which looked like it had been there since long before she was born. The sky above her was bright blue, with a few clouds here and there. The sun had not yet reached its highest point, but it wouldn't be too long until midday. Katara let her mind drift happily on the beauty of her surroundings for a few moments, until she decided it was time to face her problem. How to let Aang down gently, without hurting his feelings too much.

Katara was terrified that she would lose such a precious friend. She felt like she was about to betray Aang: since he'd come out of the iceberg, he had had feelings for her, feelings that he had desperately wished to be reciprocated one day. Now Katara had given him hope only to crush him afterwards. _'I don't really deserve him as a friend now. I'm a horrible person.'_ She thought. To be fair, she had thought for the longest time that she and Aang would just…end up together. Ever since their visit to Aunt Wu, the idea had been in the back of her mind. When Sokka had pointed out that Aang was a 'powerful bender', she'd seen it as a confirmation of that idea, even though her feelings for the Avatar were far from romantic. _'That's silly. Just because he's the Avatar…that doesn't make him the_ only _powerful bender out there'_ the voice in her head – her own voice this time – grumbled. Then she thought of Ba Sing Se, when she'd first thought she could trust Zuko, when he had betrayed them, when Aang almost died. The pain she felt when Aang lay lifeless on the ground was one she'd only experienced once before. When she'd seen her mother lying dead inside their tent, all those years ago. Surely that meant Aang was more than just a friend?

Her brain then wandered to another memory, similar, but much more recent. The image of another boy being hurt by lightning flashed inside her mind. Zuko. She remembered the Agni Kai against Azula, how helpless she had felt, even though she understood perfectly why he had wanted to fight her on his own. She remembered the fear when she realized Azula was going to cheat and kill her. She remembered how that fear transformed into utter terror when she saw Zuko dive directly in the line of fire. She remembered the rage, the hatred she felt towards Azula. She remembered the overwhelming relief when she had been able to bring him back. Zuko was a friend, and they had been really close ever since he had helped her chase Yon Rha.

Those two memories both made her feel empty, like there was a huge void in her chest. _'But maybe I feel like this because Zuko was trying to save me…I feel guilty, which makes the memory all the worse'_. Then again, the memory of Aang in Ba Sing Se was tainted by the feeling of betrayal she had felt when Zuko turned his back on them. _'Why am I comparing two awful, hurtful memories? That's not going to help. If I have to torture myself this much, then Toph is right. I've already made my decision'._

'A copper for your thoughts?' A deep voice called behind Katara, startling her.

' _Zuko'_ she thought. She could hear the smile in his tone. When she turned around, she saw she was right. The new Fire Lord gave her a huge grin, which faltered a bit when he noticed her expression. She tried to return his smile, but she was too late to fool him.

'I see I've interrupted an intense thought session. I can leave if you want me to.' He simply stated.

'No, stay,' Katara said, 'maybe you can help. Come, sit.' She added, patting the bench she was sat on.

Zuko sat next to her, and inhaled deeply, as if he wanted to take in the whole scenery.

'I always liked coming here. It's one of the few places in that palace that actually felt like a home. This is my mother's pond. Ozai had it made when they got married. Most of my memories of her are linked to this place. I figured you'd be here.' Zuko whispered.

'Oh. I'm sorry…' Katara answered in the same quiet tone.

'Don't be…like I said, happy memories.' Zuko said with a bright smile.

'Wait,' Katara breathed, 'You came here looking for me?'

'Yes. After I was done with my meeting, I wanted to talk to you. You weren't in your room, so I thought I should check if you were here.'

'What did you want to talk about?' Katara asked, tilting her head to the side.

'Well, during breakfast you seemed…off. When I mentioned Aang, your face fell. It was slight, but I know you by now. Is everything OK with you two?' Zuko questioned gently, worry apparent on his face.

'Well it's not…not OK. Yet.' Katara realized she sounded desperate. She waited for Zuko to say something, but he only kept looking at her with worried eyes. She sighed heavily and decided to carry on. 'I don't…like Aang…the way he likes me. And I don't know how to tell him.'

'Oh.' Zuko muttered, 'I see. I thought you had decided that you wanted to be with him. After we won.'

'Yeah, that's what everyone thought. Myself included. But now that I've had time to think about this, and I mean _really_ think about this, I realize that I think of Aang…in the same way I think of Sokka. He's a brother to me. I know I have to tell him but…I don't know how he'll react. And I still love him – as a friend, I mean – so I don't want to hurt him…but it's inevitable. And then Sokka and I have to return to the South Pole, and the Journey is gonna be really awkward…I'm gonna ruin it for everyone.'

'Wow. OK. Well, you're right about the fact that you should tell him. Now Aang is quite the mature young boy, and he loves you, he'll understand. Maybe not straight away, but he'll come around, I'm sure of it. And if it's difficult at first, you can always count on me, and on all your other friends. We'll be there for you, no matter what. Once you're back home, I bet you'll feel better.'

Zuko turned around to face her completely, and pulled her into a tight hug. He was really warm, but somehow the sensation was still pleasant, even though she was already feeling quite hot in the Fire Nation summer.

'Thank you, Zuko.' Katara whispered against his chest.

'It was my pleasure!' He assured her, before releasing her from the hug. 'What is it?' He added, noticing that Katara was shuffling strangely on her seat.

'Can I ask you something?' she asked, looking up to him.

'Anything.'

'Is…Is everything OK with Mai? I don't mean to pry, but…this morning at breakfast you…well I thought there was something you weren't telling us…It's…It's fine if you don't wanna talk about it!' She blurted, blushing. ' _This is none of my business'._

'Ah…uh. Yeah. I guess you know me too well.' He made a little laugh, but there was no heart in it. It was now Zuko's turn to be awkward. 'It's a little complicated but…'

'I'm really sorry, I was being to nosey.' Katara replied.

'No, no, really, it's fine. I wanted to tell someone. I guess it's just that I have to explain a lot of things.' He inhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. 'OK, so here it goes: Mai comes from one of the Fire Nation most ancient and noble families. That family for generations, long before Fire Lord Sozin. The thing is, when you are in a position of power – like the Fire Lords – you want to keep all of those who could potentially be a threat close by. Mai's family has been serving different dynasties of Fire Lords. You see, they are a constant, and we are not. Some of Mai's ancestors were happy to be stewards, three steps behind their liege lords. Others were not, they desired the position of Fire Lord. Ozai made sure Mai's father would be one of the former. That is why Mai attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, why she was made to play with Azula from a very young age. To ensure her family's loyalty. I mean, she spent so much time in this palace, that she could easily become a hostage if need be. Ty Lee, Azula's other 'friend' also comes from a powerful family, but less so than Mai. That's why she was always kind of…the third wheel. Mai's parents received a guarantee when I was about 8 years old – Mai was 7 – that their daughter would become the Crown Prince's wife when she came of age. It was all part of Ozai's clever ploy to keep the whole family under his thumb. So we've technically been betrothed for half of our lives –'

'That's…insane.' Katara interrupted. Those customs, this entire ideology was completely foreign to her, yet Zuko was saying all of those things in a flat tone.

'Believe me, Katara, I agree with you, but it's the way things have always been around here. I guess once again, it's up to me to change it. Anyway…yes. Mai and I have been unofficially engaged since we were children. Now when I was banished…well this all changed. The promise was of, since it was no longer an advantage for Mai's family to be linked to me. They didn't have a son that could wed Azula – she would have been force to marry Tom-Tom, had he been old enough – so the situation became a little…tense, to say the least. When she learned I was banished, Mai came to see me, and she delivered one of her clean-cut, emotionless speeches, in which she told me that we could no longer hope to ever be together, and that my actions had brought shame on myself, my family, my nation, and her. Of course, she had to say that. I was nothing, then. Not anymore. Her family had to cut all ties with me. That is when they all began to resent me. Mai has forgiven me, now, but…I'm afraid her father hasn't. Without me in the picture, his daughter would have to marry a lesser aristocrat, which was a huge step down. I destroyed all his hopes of one day seeing his daughter sit on the Fire Throne. That only brought him closer to Ozai, which of course was still part of his plan.' Zuko paused, out of breath.

Katara put her hand on his back, slowly tracing circles with her palm. She noticed how venomous his tone was when he mentioned Ozai's name, and how he hadn't yet refered to him as 'Father'. She understood, of course, but she felt a pinch of compassion every time.

'It's OK, Zuko, take your time.' She said soothingly.

'No, it's fine…I really needed to get this off my chest. So Mai's father – Ukano – was kept very close by the Fire Lord. Mai's friendship with Azula would allow her to be in an enviable position when she would take the throne. So all in all, they were pretty well of. Ukano was made governor of Omashu, which you already know. A very important position, after all, after Ba Sing Se, it's the biggest city in the Earth Kingdom. Besides, Mai's father isn't part of the military, and it's extremely rare for someone like that to be in such a position. All of this was meant to make them grateful, so they wouldn't go behind Ozai's back and try to seize power for themselves or something like that. And it worked. There was never a man more loyal to Ozai than Ukano. Other men served Ozai because they received financial compensation, or favors. For Ukano it was different. He already had all of that without Ozai, so he could have just stood by and watched, but he decided to take active part in the war by ensuring Omashu wouldn't rebel against the crown. Now, as you can probably imagine, he wasn't too keen on me becoming Fire Lord, and he didn't take Ozai's debacle very well.'

Katara gasped. She had just now realized that Mai's family wasn't present at Zuko's coronation. Mai had been there, of course, but on her own.

'So obviously, one of my first actions as Fire Lord is to root out those who are faithful to my predecessor. I have put a number of Admirals and Generals in prison already, but it takes longer for the civils, because they cannot be judged by martial court. However, Mai's father, given his actions during the war, especially as governor of Omashu qualify him as a war criminal. With the help of King Bumi, I sent some men to arrest him at his house, in the name of the Fire Nation. But when they arrived, he wasn't…there. He's vanished.'

'HE WHAT NOW?' Katara yelled.

'No one was able to locate him. His wife and Tom-Tom were there, but not him. His wife, Michi, was questioned, but it seems she knows nothing of the whole ordeal. I wouldn't expect her to, anyway, she was never really involved in her husband's political affairs. But he had to have help to escape Omashu. His house was under close watch, but the night before he disappeared, no one was at their post. That was four days ago. Before I was crowned.'

'OK, so he was helped. How far can he go? If he has a four-day lead on your men…he's probably not in Omashu anymore. Where would he go?'

'Well, he owns a house just outside the palace, but I doubt he'd come here, for obvious reasons. He also has a house on Ember Island. I've had both places searched, to be sure, he was in neither of them. I was going to issue wanted posters, but Mai begged me not to. She said she would try to figure out where he is so she can bring him to justice without anyone getting hurt. She's afraid someone would harm him when he's arrested.' Zuko let out a heavy sigh.

Katara stared at him with wide eyes. 'Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean…if he's really dangerous then…you'd need to find him as soon as possible, right? I…I just really don't want any harm to come your way. And…why did you give your guards a break? You need them!' Katara shrieked. She was beginning to panic.

Zuko grabbed both of her wrists and looked at her straight in the eyes.

'Katara, I can assure you that my safety is not at risk – not right now at least. There are still guards in the palace, just not outside my room. Besides, I doubt Mai's father would be the kind of man to come kill me in my sleep.' He smiled, but Katara did not smile back.

' _Zuko!_ It's not funny! I already thought I'd lost you once to Azula and her lightning, and I don't want to live through that ever again. Promise me you'll be careful.' Katara didn't look away from Zuko, who was still watching her intently.

'I promise, Katara. If it makes you feel better, I'll call my guards back.' Zuko conceded.

'Good.' Katara nodded, slightly relieved. 'But still, do you think it's reasonable to send Mai after her own father? Will she even find him?'

'That's the thing. I think she doesn't need to. I think…she was the one who helped him escape.'

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 **So, Chapter 2…we got some info about Mai! What do you think? A review would be great. See you next time (hopefully Sunday!) xx.**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, this chapter is late...I'm sorry, I've been busy with boring administrative uni stuff :/ But, here it is. Hope you enjoy it :)**

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Katara was staring at Zuko, her mouth opened in shock. Zuko was looking attentively at the ground.

'So…Mai would be hiding her father? How can you be sure?' she asked.

'Well…that's precisely the point. I am not sure, I just have a hunch –'Zuko trailed off. Katara kept staring at him, until he spoke again. 'I am aware that you don't know Mai very well, but if there is something you do know, it's that she is extremely talented when it comes to concealing her feelings and emotions. But I've known her since I was four years old. I know her, and over time I was able to notice some slight changes in her behavior whenever she was lying about something, or when she was in trouble. Until my coronation, we had no news of her father. I had told her I was planning on having him arrested. I had to…I couldn't…I'd have felt like I was double-crossing her. But then, the evening after I was crowned was when we heard that her father had disappeared. She had absolutely no reaction –'

'Zuko…it's Mai we're talking about…she isn't exactly an extrovert!' Katara said, trying to lift the mood.

'Like I said, I've come to notice some things about her, and the way she expresses emotions. I…I just know she wasn't surprised by the news. It could be that she suspected her father would escape, but…When she left, she told me that her family needed her. That's not very…Mai-like. She does love her family, but…her father is definitely her favorite, she has no real connection to her mother. She sees her as a weak woman in many ways. If she had told me: 'I'm going to look for my father' straight away, I'd have believed it…but she only said that after I pushed her a bit. Besides, I can hardly imagine her father leaving without Tom-Tom, or at least without knowing how the boy fares…he's his only son, and that is something that matters a lot to Fire Nation men. Well _most_ of them.' Zuko added bitterly.

'I…Zuko…I don't know how to say this, but…do you think you might be getting a little…paranoid?' Katara asked gently. She did not intend to offend him, and she knew he could be very proud.

'Katara…I know how it sounds. This is precisely why it's been torturing me. It's like…I have this gut feeling that Mai is hiding something…but I'm not sure what. So I've come to this conclusion…and my instinct tells me I'm not far from the truth.'

'You should talk to her about it, then. When will she be back?' Katara said.

'She should be back in three weeks.' Zuko declared.

'OK, well…I'll be gone by then, but you'll let me know how it goes, OK?' Katara smiled.

'Yes, of course. It's always very nice talking to you, Katara!' Zuko replied happily.

Zuko got up, and was about to leave, when Katara caught his wrist.

'Zuko,' she said, 'don't…don't work yourself to death, OK? I know you have a lot on your plate but…try to…take it easy? It's just that…you look really tired. I know you often feel like everything is your responsibility, and I guess now that you're the Fire Lord it is kind of true, but…don't be afraid to ask for help! Is there anything I can do to help while I'm still here?'

Zuko stood still and studied Katara's face. He seemed stunned for a moment, before he spoke up again. 'Not really…Actually there is. You and Toph could maybe…question some of the staff? I trust you both completely and I'm trying to figure out who is still loyal to Ozai at the moment, but I don't really have time for it. I've talked to Toph about it, since she's usually able to detect lies. But you would be very useful as well, now that I think about it.'

'How so?' Katara wondered.

'You can be quite scary, you know?' Zuko simply stated with a smirk.

'Idiot.' She answered, sticking her tongue out. 'But, sure, I'll do it.'

'I knew you'd enjoy terrorizing people.'

'You'll thank me later, when no one comes to _murder_ you.' She added with a sly grin.

'We'll see. I think it's time for lunch. Shall we?' Zuko said, still grinning.

For the second time that day, Zuko escorted Katara to the Dining Hall. For the second time that day, all their friends were already sat around the table, waiting for them. Toph had once again decided to sit next to Aang, so that the only sit available to Katara was between Zuko and her. When Katara sat down, Toph turned to her and gave her a small nod. Katara breathed a 'thank you'. The meal went by quickly, everyone chatting enthusiastically, despite the tension between Aang and Katara, which everyone but Sokka – who was concentrating on his plate – seemed to be aware of. Once lunch was over, Katara knew the time to speak to Aang had come. Zuko and Toph immediately left the room, knowing that Katara would want to be left alone with the Avatar. Sokka, who was still oblivious to the situation, was dragged out of the room by his girlfriend, a plate of dessert in hand. Suki gave Katara a supportive smile before exiting the room.

'So…,'Katara began awkwardly, looking intently at her feet, 'I was wondering if we could talk.'

'Yes,' Aang replied, 'I wanted to speak with you as well. Things have been weird between us lately, ever since we came back from Ba Sing Se, and I don't know –'

'Aang. I think you should let me go first.' Katara interjected.

'I…OK, sure, go ahead.' The young boy conceded.

'OK. Well…there aren't that many ways to say what I want to say, and it's really not easy for me to do, but I have to get this over with. Aang, I know how you feel about me, and I want you to know – and this is what I really want you to understand – that I love you, I really do. However, I do not feel about you the same way you feel about me, and I know you've been harboring feelings for me ever since you got out of that iceberg, but I just can't reciprocate those feelings. Which is why I want to make it very clear that there is nothing…like that…between us. I am very sorry, Aang, it's just the way it is.' Katara realized she had barely taken a breath since she'd begun talking.

'But…you were the one who kissed me in Ba Sing Se!' Aang shrieked accusingly.

Katara felt a pang of guilt in her chest. She had been cruel to lead him on.

'I know I did, but…I had told you before that I was confused, and I guess that kiss was what I needed to be sure of my feelings. And I _am_ sure of them, now. I'm really sorry that this isn't going the way you want, Aang. And I am very sorry that I gave you false hope.' Katara said sadly.

'No. Katara, this…this isn't happening. I've loved you since I first saw your face. You know it! And you told me you were confused, and I waited, I gave you time and space. I figured you didn't want to be with me while the war was still going on, because you couldn't see a future with me…or rather, you couldn't see a future at all. But now…now the war is over! We _won_! You can't just say that to me! I LOVE YOU! If you need more time, I'll give you more time. I can be patient!' Aang exclaimed desperately.

Katara waited until the servants who came to clean the table had left the room to continue.

'Aang,' Katara replied kindly, 'more time is no use. This is how I feel, it's my final word. I can't give you what you want. I know it's difficult to hear right now, and I understand if you don't want to speak to me for a while, but I have to be honest with you. I can't lead you on any longer, this has been going on for too long, and I am truly ashamed of myself for encouraging you. I hope you find it in yourself to forgive me one day, because I love you and I'll always be your friend.'

'You don't get to say that!' Aang shouted, now visibly agitated, 'You don't get to say that you love me, because you obviously don't! Why would you do this to me if you did? You only think of yourself. I will pretend this conversation didn't happen, and I _will_ give you more time to think about it. You're not thinking straight right now. We are meant to be together. I know that, you know that, everyone knows that.'

'What…what do you mean?' Katara asked, her voice still soft.

'The prediction! The one you got from Aunt Wu! I know what she told you, Sokka told me after you told him!' Aang practically spat. 'Don't be mad at him. He was being a _friend_.' He added when Katara was about to speak.

'If you really know what Aunt Wu told me, then you'll know she never said anything about us. She just said I'll marry a powerful bender.' Katara replied. She could feel her own anger rising.

'I AM THE AVATAR!' Aang yelled.

'That doesn't make you the only powerful bender out there! That prediction doesn't have to be about you, Aang! We've met lots of them, if you recall: Pakku, Jeong Jeong, Bumi, Iroh, Haru, Toph, Zuko!' Katara was also shouting at that point.

'Oh I see, do you see yourself marrying an old man? Or Toph? Or maybe you've been secretly in love with Haru the whole time? Is that why you saved his village? So he'd _marry_ you? Or do you love Zuko? Until recently, you _hated_ him Katara! He betrayed you, remember?' Aang was shaking with anger.

'Aang, stop it! You're not yourself, you're being ridiculous. You know I don't have feelings for any of these people! And don't bring Zuko's past into this! He is our friend, he saved my life on multiple occasions, and we are his guests right now! What is wrong with you?' Katara couldn't believe Aang. She'd figured it would be difficult to speak to him, but she hadn't been expecting _that_.

'What's wrong with me is that you're making excuses right now. I don't know what's going on, maybe Zuko talked you into this or something, but you're just trying to avoid the fact that we're meant to be together! Everyone knows it, it's our _destiny_! Maybe we shouldn't talk until you come to your senses.' Aang said angrily.

'Destiny?! If there is something we've all learned from this whole war, it's that each of us makes their own destiny! Nothing is _forcing_ us to be together. You said you want us to be, but I'm sorry, I don't, and that's final. So either accept it or don't, but I can't deal with you while you're behaving like a spoiled child.'

'So you're not only quoting Zuko, you're saying you are _choosing_ to walk away from me, even though you know how I feel. Great. And you call yourself my friend. And what's that about me being a child? You hurt me, Katara! Or is that the problem? You think I'm too young? You'd prefer someone like Zuko?' Aang was still furious.

'The _problem_ is that I'm trying to tell you how I feel like a mature person, thinking you'd understand and move on, but instead you're being completely irrational and picking apart everything I say. The reality is quite simple: I think of you as a brother. And for the last time, nothing is going on between me and Zuko. We're friends! But at least he doesn't behave like a brat when I'm just being honest with him!' Katara was seething.

'Fine! I know what you think of me now! I'm a baby. Well I'm not giving up on you anyway. I love you, and despite what you tell yourself, I know you love me. I'll make you come around, and we can put this entire conversation behind us. You'll see, one day you'll be happy with me. But right now, I'm going to fly around the palace. I need to clear my head.' Aang added, his voice calmer, but his anger still perceivable.

'I think you do. But the hopes you have are in vain. I will not change my mind. It's a waste of your time, and you've got lots of important things to do. I'll see you later, Aang.'

With a last pained look at the Avatar, she left the room. She was furious, much angrier than she had been in a long time. Aang was so stubborn! He refused to understand that sometimes, things just didn't go according to his plan. ' _Just because he's the Avatar, he thinks he can control me!_ ' Katara's inner voice exclaimed dryly. She decided that the best thing to do for now was to let Aang brood on his own, hoping he would finally come to terms with her decision. Right now, she would go to Toph's room and they would prepare their interviews of staff members, just like Zuko had requested. ' _Zuko…how could Aang be so horrible to him? They're friends, for crying out loud!_ ' she could not believe how ridiculous Aang's behavior was. She hoped the young Avatar would have time to calm down before they had to leave the Fire Nation. They were supposed to be on their way to the Southern Water Tribe in less than two weeks. If Aang was still mad at her by then, the journey would be long and uncomfortable for everyone.

She finally reached Toph's bedroom door. She knocked lightly, and the door opened at once. Toph yanked Katara into the room and shut the door behind them.

'Sit!' Toph demanded, pushing Katara towards her bed.

The young waterbender noticed then that Suki was sitting on a cozy armchair in the corner of the room, staring at her intently.

'You spoke to him, didn't you? How'd it go?' Toph asked urgently.

'It went…I…I don't know what I expected. I guess I thought he'd be more mature. He's really upset. I almost thought he'd go into the Avatar state at some point.' Katara sighed, her shoulders slumping.

'Wow! Twinkle Toes has more passion in him than I thought. But I guess that sucks. Want me to knock some sense into him? It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to kick his but!' Toph said, rubbing her palms together.

Katara let out a breathy laugh. 'That won't be necessary, thank you, Toph'.

Suki was still staring at Katara from the corner of the room.

'He'll come around, Katara. Aang's a bit young, and he's frustrated right now, but you guys have been friends since the beginning. You love him, he loves you, he won't stay mad for long.' Suki whispered with a smile.

'I hope so. I guess I knew it'd be difficult…but I wasn't expecting _this_. He was extremely upset. I feel bad that I hurt him like that.' Katara added.

'Nonsense, Katara. You couldn't stay in that situation forever. You guys needed to talk, and now you have. You've made yourself clear, he knows what to expect now. It'll be a bit awkward and painful at first, but in the long run, it was necessary. You did the right thing, Katara. You shouldn't doubt yourself!' Suki replied sharply. She'd gotten up from her chair and made her way towards the bed, hugging Katara. 'We're here for you, we'll make sure Aang calms down, and when he does, you'll be best friends again!'

'Thank you, Suki. You're the best.' Katara said.

'Hey!' Toph shrieked, 'How can you say _she_ 's the best when I'm standing RIGHT HERE?'

'I guess you're both the best, then!' Katara chuckled. 'I actually came to see you! Zuko said he's asked you to interrogate some of the staff? To make sure everyone is…okay with the new Fire Lord, I guess?'

'Yeah, what about that?' Toph answered.

'Well he's also asked me to help you. So how about we get down to business?' Katara offered.

'Oh, Sugar Queen, things are about to get interesting. I hope we find someone with something to hide…I haven't had the chance to use metalbending since the day of the comet!' Toph practically roared.

Katara shook her head. Toph's enthusiasm was endearing, but she rather hoped that the staff would prove worthy of their trust. They did not need someone threatening Zuko from inside the palace.

* * *

 **So, did you like it? Katara finally talked to Aang (glad that's out of the way!). Stay tuned for next chapter (I'll try to publish that one on time).**


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